Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-06-21
WHAT CITIZENS WANT.
Association No. Favor the school
hoard Hill.

| WHAT CITIZENS WANT.
Association No. 5 Favor the school
| BOARD Hill.
| REPORT CRITICIsTNG THE PRESENT MANAGEMENT OF
THE scHOOLs-THE QUESTION OF WATER SUPPLY
THE PROPOSED INCREASE OF WATER RENTS AP-
PROVED.
There was not a very large attendance at the
meeting OF the Citizens Association, No. s. at the
| Luther Memorial Chapel last evening, but two
very interesting reports were read. Mr.. Reginald
Fendall presided and Mr.. X. W. Fenwick acted as
| secretary. The frst business OF the meeting was
| a report by Mr.. 8. r. Bond on the question Of
water and sewerage OF the District. He devoted
the report chiefly to the question Of the proposed
increase OF the water rates, and justified the Com
missioners, under the existing circumstances for
making the increase. He said they not only had
the authority, but 1t their duty to do So since
the present revenue from this source would not
meet the expenditures churged against 1T. He
! said, however, that there was charged against
| this water-taA expenses that ought not to he so
charged, and but for that no increase OF rate
would be necessary. The extension OF the aOue-
duct, the digging OF the tunnel, &C., he thought
should be paid Tor out Of the general tax and not
Charged to the water rates.
| ANSWERING Mr.. CRANE.
Making comparison OF rates he said: Under
the schedule OF the old corporation rates house
l6 feet wide and two stories high which was taken
as the basis, had to pay s. Under the schedule
house had to pay $3.50. Under the new schedule
}u nus, pu IL VIII nave 70 pay 500 Under the
Stories high had to pay S. under T the sehedue Of
1oSO, 500; under the schedule Of 1887, So. Or
taking house % feet wide and four stories the
Inree schedules would give 1925, $7.92, and 1857
Referring TO statement in a communication to
rents amounted to sisS, 5s3s7. While for the past
year tney amounted to only $124, 96S.1S, "appa-
renty" he said 'this statement Is correct, but in
change was made, whereby the water rents be-
came pay able In July instead OF in January, which
caused the receipts by fiscal years to be thrown
somewhat out OF balance. The burden OF water
revenue by the work now in progress for the
tension OF tne aqueduet, &C, has nearly trebled
lefs poor outlook towards free water or even low
water rents"
REFERRED TO THE CENTRAL CoMMITTEE.
Mr.. j. o. Wilson moved that the report be
adopted and referred to the citizens representa-
tive committee Of one hundred which was car
red. Mr.. Wilson referred TO the fact that the re-
port showed that the expense OF the reservoirs
and tunnel were chargeable TO those who pay the
prOvementS are Tor the benent OF the District at
large, such expenses should be paid out OF gen.
erai fund. Under the present system the water
rent fell heavily upon small taxpayers, who Can
not well stand such high rates. Mr.. Wilson's mo-
ton was carried.
A REPORT ON SCHOOLS.
hlcuaFuS, CHAIRMAN Oh the COmmltCco on
schools, next submitted a report ON that subject.
He said the committees visits had been confined
chiefly to the lower grade of schools In the first
DIVISION as they had reasons TO believe that there
Is most need OF inspection there. The teachers,
the report says, have shown them great courtesy
and gwen them every facility for their eXamlna-
lions. The committee are convinced that the
teachers are doing their best under the direction
OF the superior school officers so that II there are
defects In the school work, the methods OF
the superiorS are responsible for the defects.
In their last report they stated that they had found
in the first school division seven hundred and fifty
vacant seats at the close Of March last. AS this
statement has been pronounced exaggerated by
some OF the school authorities, the committee made
on this occasion more accurate examination, and
found the number given was decided under est1-
mate Of three or four hundred and really the report
says, there were about 100 vacant seats. these
facts, the report says, show that II the school
rooms In the First division alone were actually
FULL we could dispense with about eighteen teach
erS and number OF rented rooms. To GER
tain extent we are sure there Is similar state
sions, and which shows that the schools are
not supervised upon principles OF economy.
The committee do not think such could have been
the case had there been a school board with
thority and responsibility. By a change OF man
agement they think there could be a saving of at
least $4,000 per annum. The report states that
the committee have found that the supervision OF
the schools has been very superficial as a general
thing. Aside from the High school, the SUPER
The superintendent and the supervising principals
should visit the schools diligently, and devote two
hours daily to teaching The committee state that
not frequent, and that they do not teach at all.
Their visits generally occupy not more than two
or three minutes, without any specific examine
ton Of the schools.
THE COURSE OF STUDY.
We have been unable to ind that the teachers
have any fixed printed course of studies: on the
other hand, We do find that the well-tried course
OF studies heretofore so successfully used has been
made a dead letter, without an order from the
school board. We md that many OF the text
books ordered by the board to be used, have been
laid aside virtually without the direction OF the
board, particularly the spelling book and English
grammar; and that books are used and recon-
some cases, the readers ordered by the board have
been partly or wholly laid aside. In no instance
were the committee permitted to listen to spell
they found were generally miserable readers.
The committee deeply SympathiZe with the Citi-
zens' Association No. in the manifest injustice
done them In the location Of school houses and in
the dirficulties they have experienced In making
an examination into the condition OF the schools
OF the second division. Appended to the report
were a series OF resolutions, which were adopted
with the report follows; '"That We as citizens
OF Association No. 3, have become more and more
Impressed with the Importance or having such a
general school law Will give proper authority to
a school board which shall represent the people
That we recommend to the committee OF one
hundred the Importance OF using their strongest
influence with the committee in Congress to secure
the passage OF a school law similar TO that which
was before 1t at the last session. That the COM
mtttee on schools be requested pursue their in
veStgations, so long they believe the condition
OF the schools require Them"
PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE CITY LIMITS
MI. j. Ormond Wilson offered resolution, which
was adopted, setting forth, "first that 1t is the
Judgment OF this association that the general in
terests OF the District Of Columbia would be pro-
NOTED by extending the limits OF the city of Wash
ington TO the boundaries OF The District; and Sec
ond, that the representative committee of one
hundred be- and Is hereby, requested to consider
this subject and the proposed change In the city
limits be deemed advisable to take such action as
may be necessary to obtain from Congress the
legislation required to effect this object without
detrment to any OF the present subdivisions Of the
District"
The association adjourned until September B.
Real Estate Sales.
Benz. +. Burns has bought Of b. d. Sprague part
OF lot Z, square sis, II feet by no. on the north
side OF street, between 4th and 5lh streets NORTH
west.
Hon. W. Walter Phelps has bought for s. 600 OF
ID. +. MCGOWAN and John Ridout, trustees, part
lot TO- so. $50, fronting AZ feet by ITO on street
between New jersey avenue and LIST street east
JAS ". Weisner has bought OF w. Up Clark for
- z nv lon foot m